Stolen car victim says vehicle was sold at auction after police investigation

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A crime victim wants answers after his vehicle was sent to the auction block.

Charles White, a 76-year-old Vietnam veteran, said he depended on the 2001 Chevy Tahoe to get to doctor appointments and do his grocery shopping.

Last year, he said it was stolen from a southeast Houston senior living complex. But even when the Harris County Sheriff's Office tracked it down, he didn't get it back.

The vehicle was towed to Houston Central Auto Storage and eventually auctioned off. White says the auction took place without his notice; the sheriff's office denies that he wasn't notified.

"It just burns me up," White said.

The sheriff's office said it located White's vehicle Sept. 17 in La Porte after the driver bailed out along Highway 146 following a pursuit.

Investigators say the driver had used the vehicle to commit another theft, so they placed an investigative hold on the vehicle.

"They called me and said, 'Well, we're investigating and when we get through an investigation, we'll call you,'" White said.

White said he waited for months but never got that call.

The sheriff's office claims otherwise. They said they sent White two letters at 10-day and 20-day intervals, each requiring a signature.

White tells Eyewitness News he didn't receive either letter.

The Houston Police Department, which took the stolen vehicle report, said it called White on Oct. 12 to tell him where his car was and what he needed to do to retrieve it.

"I don't answer strange numbers I don't know. No, I don't answer them," White said.

"Could they have called from one of those strange numbers?" Eyewitness News asked.

"But they didn't leave a message. They never left a message about who they are," White said.

HPD insists officers did leave White a voice message.

They also claim they sent him a letter on Dec. 2 telling him his vehicle would be auctioned if he didn't retrieve it.

White claims he never got that letter either.

The vehicle was ultimately auctioned Jan. 15 due to non-payment of storage fees, which police say White was responsible for paying.

"I went down there several times, I would call several times, I went down there with my nephew one time to get it and they always telling me it's still under investigation," White said. "So, I'm still thinking it's under investigation and they done auctioned it off already."

Eyewitness News asked the sheriff's office and HPD for copies of the letters they say they sent White.

The sheriff's office said it was having trouble retrieving the letters from their computer system, and HPD directed Eyewitness News to file a records request, which would take two weeks to get back.